Surname Santen - Meaning and Origin
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Santen: What does the surname Santen mean?
The surname Santen is of Dutch origin and is primarily located in the Netherlands. Due to the varied nature of Dutch surnames, the exact meaning can be hard to pin down. However, it is believed that it may originate from a geographic location such as a town or village in the Netherlands. There is a village called Santen in the region of Gelderland in the Netherlands, and the surname could be linked to this place indicating that the initial bearers of the name could have been inhabitants of this villa. Additionally, being a variant of the name "Van Santen", it could mean "from Santen". Please note that surname meanings can be speculative as they have evolved over centuries and may have multiple derivations.
Order DNA origin analysisSanten: Where does the name Santen come from?
The last name Santen is commonly found today in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is one of the most common surnames in those countries, appearing in both Dutch and Flemish records. In the Netherlands, specifically, the name is most prevalent in the provinces of Gelderland, Utrecht, and North Brabant. It is also popular in the northern provinces of Limburg and Limburg, and in the southern provinces of Zeeland and South-Holland.
The history of the surname dates back to at least the 14th century, when it appears in records in the name of Johannes Santen. In the Netherlands, the last name likely derived from the place of origin of its first bearer: Santen in the province of Overijssel. Consequently, those with the surname may have Dutch or Germanic origins.
In the United States, Santen is a much rarer surname. Data from the US Census Bureau shows that there are only a few hundred people with the Santen surname living in the United States. Most of them live in the states of California and Florida, with the remainder scattered throughout other states including Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, and South Dakota.
Variations of the surname Santen
The surname Santen is an old Dutch name hailing from the region of Zeeland, Netherlands. The traditional spelling of the surname Santen is 'Santen', however, the name is also spelled Sansen, and even occasionally Santema. More rare spellings of the surname include Santon and Santin.
As is common with most Dutch surnames, the family name is often made up of a patronymic name beginning with a ‘van’, such as 'Van Santen'. Other variant and patronymic spellings of the surname Santen include 'Vansanten', 'Vansant', 'Vansante', and 'Van Santin'.
Another variant of the name Santen is Sondag, the German spelling of the surname, which developed due to migration from the Netherlands to the neighboring country of Germany.
In more recent times, immigrants from the Netherlands to other countries, including the United States, Great Britain, and Canada, have seen huge changes in the spelling of the surname Santen, as a result of incorrect transcriptions of their Dutch sounding name. These alternative spellings include 'Sund', 'Sondy', and 'Sandan'.
Overall, there are a variety of spellings and surnames of the same origin for Santen, many being based on the Dutch name but also including German, English, and North American variations.
Famous people with the name Santen
- Eva Santen: Eva Santen is a German theatre and television actress best known for her role in the 1989 Badesalz comedy show.
- Alan Santen: Alan Santen is an American engineer and academic who is currently a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
- Peter Santen: Peter Santen is a Dutch mathematician who is known for his contributions to the field of algebraic combinatorics.
- Peter Santen Van Ettinger: Peter Santen van Ettinger is a former Dutch football striker who played for the Dutch national team in the 1970s.
- Tom Santen: Tom Santen is an American film editor best known for his work on the blockbuster film series The Lord of the Rings.
- Ben Santen: Ben Santen is a former American professional basketball player for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.
- Jan Santen: Jan Santen is a Dutch former racing cyclist who was active in the late 19th century.
- Anthony Santen: Anthony Santen is a Belgian professional football goalkeeper who plays for the Ajax Amsterdam U-21 team.
- Tonny Santen: Tonny Santen is a Dutch actor best known for his performance in television programs such as Baantjer and Gooische Vrouwen.